hypochondria Hear it!

hypochondria definition

hypo·chon·dria (hī′pə kän′drē ə)

noun

abnormal anxiety over one's health, often with imaginary illnesses and severe melancholy

Etymology: ModL < LL, pl., abdomen (the supposed seat of the condition) < pl. of Gr hypochondrion, soft part of the body below the cartilage of the breastbone < hypo- (see hypo-) + chondros, cartilage, by dissimilation < -chrondros < IE *ghren- < base *gher-, to pulverize, rub hard > grind, ground

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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